


I'm Not Leaving You

by morganaDW (morgana07)



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Actors, Bottom Jared, Bottom Jared Padalecki, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, End of Show, Explicit Language, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Mark Sheppard cameo, Not for Destiel people, Protective Jensen, READ NOTE, Schmoop, Season/Series 15, Show dialogue, Spoilers, Top Jensen, Top Jensen Ackles, Worried Jared Padalecki, light humor, mention of wives, possible tissue warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:54:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27771817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgana07/pseuds/morganaDW
Summary: As filmingfor the final two episodes starts again, a rewrite gives Jensen and Jared a chance to have the finale of their show end their way. When Jared starts to have doubts of what's to come for them once the show ends, Jensen finds a way to reassure him in a rather unusual way that he will never leave him.
Relationships: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki
Comments: 9
Kudos: 297





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author Note with Warnings: This is my take on the days leading up to and during the filming of the finale episode. As always with most of my actor RPF, if you're a Misha/Castiel fan, this might not be for you though he's only mentioned a couple times. There will be actual dialogue from the episode so I will toss out a possible tissue warning for one part in particular. There is a language warning and the usual explicit one for sex. There's schmoop, light humor, some emotional hurt and of course comfort but always a happy ending. Yes, wives are mentioned towards the end but only in passing as it worked for the dialogue.
> 
> Tags: Normally as this is an actor type RPF I don't tag but it takes place during the filming of 15x20 Carry On.
> 
> Spoilers: Yeah, if you haven't seen the episode there will be as there will be dialogue from a certain scene included in this piece.
> 
> Beta'd By: cyncitymojo

**I’m Not Leaving You**

**Chapter One**

Waking up in the middle of the night was not something that Jensen Ackles did often. Except, for the last week or so since finally being allowed to return to Vancouver to finish filming the final two episodes of Supernatural it seemed like it was becoming a habit; a habit he was not fond of.

“‘ _We need a rewrite_ ,’” were words no actor ever wanted to hear. That was especially true when it involved a rewrite for the final episode of the show that Jensen and his co-star, best friend, and long-time boyfriend, Jared Padalecki had spent the last 15 years pouring life into.

Ever since seeing the scripts for the final two episodes, Jensen and Jared had known the final one would need something done after their filming was put on hold for months. It was something the two stars had spent one whole weekend in Austin talking about, planning, throwing ideas back and forth for things they wanted to see in their finale.

“‘ _Andrew will never go for this_ ,’” Jared had said when he looked over their list of ‘demands’ and how they chose to do two main scenes. He had been lying back against Jensen’s chest in the bed they shared at Jensen’s house in Austin considering something else before writing it in as a sidenote when finally the notebook and pen had been taken from his hand and given a toss so his hands could then be taken and held in Jensen’s.

“‘ _Sure, he will_ ,’” Jensen had replied with a slow grin that was more like the man he’d been playing for so long. “‘ _He will because I didn’t throat punch him for that crap at the end of episode 18 or for the fact that I still owe him a beating for that whole highwire crap during the finale of season 13,_ ’” he added, tipping Jared’s head back enough so they could share a kiss. “‘ _Trust me, Jay. It’s our show so it’ll be our ending_.’”

The decision to rewrite certain things for the finale hadn’t made the writers happy but Dabb, who was also one of the executive producers, knew it couldn’t be helped. Sitting down with the two main stars to listen to their ideas or actually rather firmly suggested ideas nearly blew his mind, but a chuckle from across the table to where Robert Singer was sitting, looking over the boys’ well thought out and written down plans and scene changes made him pause to consider.

“‘ _Can we pull off what they want to do?_ ’” he had asked one of the men who had been with the show the longest other than Jared and Jensen. “‘ _The barn scene? Can we write that in a realistic way?_ ’”

Bob looked back over the notebook, hearing Jensen let out a low sound that he knew from so many years of working with the actor was a growl; a growl that was going to be followed by a few more choice words if he didn’t step in.

“‘ _Grab your laptop. Write the main changes while Jared and Jensen are sitting here with us,_ ’” he’d said, pushing the notebook across the table and giving a slight nod to their stars. “‘ _They’ve basically written it for you, minus some dialogue that I’m sure by now Jensen has thought he wants to add._ ’”

“‘ _A couple small things that Jared thought of. If I think the scene needs something on set, I’ll adlib like we’ve done before but…_ ’” Jensen stopped to lean forward on the table, meeting a clearly nervous Dabb’s eyes. “‘ _Anything either of us add to that scene, gets used. You don’t cut one damn word or thing because if Dean’s going out then by goddamn, he’ll go out like I want him to and saying what I want him to!’”_ he went on in a tone he had only used a few times while filming the show. “‘ _Eric promised us that this show started with us and would end with us. That’s what you’re giving us. That’s what you’re giving our fans that understand what the core and heart of this show has always been about._ ’”

Jared had sat and waited for the explosion to happen. He could see Jensen’s jaw tightening but could also see their executive producer and main writer for this finale was also getting tense as it seemed like he felt like he was being backed into a corner.

“‘ _It’s not like you have a choice in rewriting. Our way makes the most sense as it ties up some loose ends between the brothers and also gives a nod to the fans that have been with us since the very start_ ,’” he finally spoke up, subtly moving his hand up to touch Jensen just enough to make contact and hopefully remind his best friend to keep his temper or else the whole episode might go out the window.

Now, it was close to the time to film that most emotional scene and silently Jensen was still holding his breath that they could pull it off like they wanted to. He was also hoping Jared could handle it before, during, and after since for the last few nights it seemed like Jensen would wake up alone in the bed he and Jared still shared despite any restrictions they were supposed to be following.

As far he was concerned they were their own bubble and there was no way in Hell that Jensen planned to allow Jared to be alone in a separate house for what was now hitting them both would be the last time they filmed together for a long time.

The nightmares had started about a week ago, and usually would have Jared shooting awake shouting for Jensen’s character. Jensen had shrugged some of his concern off as character bleed since he knew over the years they had both reacted to emotional or hard scenes with dreams or even in some cases nightmares.

Then after a Zoom call home to Austin with their families, one of their brothers, Jensen couldn’t recall exactly which one, had harmlessly and jokingly asked what it was going to feel like for them to not be living and working together basically 24/7.

That was when it clicked to both men that Jared would film Walker in Texas, while Jensen would film in Canada again and might not be able to make trips home easily or often. It was on that night that Jared’s nightmare changed dramatically.

That night Jared had woken up soaked in sweat and screaming for Jensen himself, thrashing in his sleep. Jensen could only recall seeing that one other time during the season where Dean died by Metatron. The last few nights as filming got closer, the nightmares had seemed to be increasing. It also had seemed to Jensen that Jared was pulling further into himself after one instead of talking to Jensen like he always had or allowing himself to be soothed.

Waking up that night alone in their bed, it concerned Jensen because he hadn’t heard Jared shout and never had his co-star ever been quiet during any type of bad dream. He also hadn’t felt the bed move so that meant either Jensen had slept sounder than he usually did, or Jared had gotten up for some other reason.

Frowning, Jensen reached for his jeans to go in search of the younger man. Opening the bedroom door, the low sound of the TV from the living room could be heard and even if it had been 15 years since he had filmed that scene, Jensen could still recite the car scene on Sam and Dean’s way to Jericho by heart.

Beginning to understand what might have happened, Jensen also knew that how he reacted, not only that night but during filming and then after that, would determine how things would go for either of them in the coming months as their lives changed.

“Another bad dream or just decided to get up without waking me up so I could at least try to buffer whatever you’re feeling that you’re trying not to share?” Jensen asked after he turned on a light in the corner, so the living room wasn’t in total darkness other than the TV. “Jay, talk to me, dude. I can’t help if you don’t tell me what’s wrong other than the obvious,” he hated the sight of drying tears on Jared’s face and had a sudden burst of regret for their choice to end the show or taking Eric’s offer on a role in his new show.

Jared’s eyes stayed glued to the frozen screen of Sam and Dean Winchester in the Impala at the gas station for another moment before feeling gentle fingers on his face and letting it be turned to see that Jensen had knelt down beside where he was sitting on the floor with his back against the sofa.

“When we film the final scene, when that’s over and I put Sam Winchester away for however long I’ll… I’ll tell you, Jen,” he murmured, fighting to not let the emotions he’d been fighting for weeks out right that second when Jensen sat beside him to just hold him. “I can’t now because I need to focus on you. I need to focus on Dean and Sam. Does that make sense to you?” he asked, feeling warm lips ghosting over his hair after he’d shifted to rest his head on Jensen’s shoulder.

“Yeah, it does, Jay. It does and I understand.” Jensen did understand because he thought he might see what Jared was doing and if so then he also knew the night after their final scene was not going to be fun. He had to find a way to start to make Jared understand a few things before that time came or else he worried for his boyfriend.

They sat in near silence to watch several more episodes before finally Jensen began to feel Jared relax which told him that whatever they had planned for tomorrow would be pushed back since if Jared slept now, Jensen had no plans to wake him for some mini interview or anything like that.

“Jen?” Jared’s voice was low, sleepy when he spoke next after Jensen had shut the TV off and was deciding if he was going to attempt to get a sleepy Jared up to a bed or if they were crashing on the floor in their living room. “How hard do you think it would be to get the barn set limited to just certain people?” he asked.

“I’ll call Bob in the morning and tell him to limit it to just him, Andrew and whoever else has to absolutely be there.” Jensen had actually planned to have that discussion anyway but to hear Jared ask for it made the decision final for him. “We’re going to make it good for our boys, Jay. I promise you this,” he whispered after lightly kissing Jared after deciding they were sleeping in the living room.

Jared’s smile was sad but still there, feeling a blanket covering him a second before he also felt strong arms wrapping around to hold him and letting his head find Jensen’s heart to lay over. “You know you can’t actually do what you talked about doing, don’t you?” he asked and did smile a little more at the sound of the low laugh.

“Yeah, I know but that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to take it as close as we can without giving Bob a stroke on set,” Jensen had a few ideas for what he could and did plan to do but he’d deal with those plans.

“I’m more worried about Andrew’s eyes popping out of his head if you do what you said you wanted to do,” Jared lifted his head to see Jensen’s eyes were glittering green which they normally only got when Jensen’s teasing side was about to come out.

“Please. If I was worried about that asshole I’d do what I wanted but I promised both Eric and Bob years ago that I wouldn’t out us until the end of the show and I wouldn’t out Sam and Dean so I’ll be good so long as Andrew doesn’t piss me off,” Jensen smiled, brushing his fingers back through Jared’s hair, relieved to feel him a little more relaxed than he had been earlier.

They had been back filming for a few days before it was time for that scene. It never failed to amaze Jensen that no matter how long a hiatus they might have or a pause to filming, the moment he put on Dean Winchester’s familiar flannel or the worn boots, he was immediately back in that place and he was Dean Winchester for another time.

They still had a few days to film this final episode, but this was the crucial, most emotional scene for him and Jared as it would be the second to last time they’d be on screen together.

Jensen had gone over the final script again that morning to be sure nothing had changed. He and Jared had gone over it again and knew what marks to hit when. Jared also knew a couple of little changes Jensen planned that were not scripted, but there were at least two in this scene that Jensen planned to adlib in at the correct time for both Sam and Jared.

It wasn’t that difficult to get the main set limited to just a few key people since it was a closed set for the most part. Andrew had objected but since Bob was the director, he handled it so the crew that needed to be there for this scene were ones that both actors had filmed in front of before.

“Do I need to remind you of a promise to Eric?” Bob asked softly as he approached where Jensen was examining one of the most crucial -and what he knew would become the most hated- prop in nearly the entire show’s history.

Glancing away from the accurate-looking piece of rebar, Jensen merely smiled. “Nope,” he replied, glancing over to see where Jared was at before looking back to Bob. “Remember what I said about any adlibbing that happens?” he asked quietly, eyes calm but firm. “I’m trusting you one more time, Bob. I need what I say to make the final cut and for you not to call filming unless one of us seriously misses a mark. He can’t do too many takes for this scene.”

“We’ll see how it goes, but try not to do anything that will require me to give mouth to mouth to Andrew if he passes out,” Bob rolled his eyes but smiled at the laugh he heard as Jensen turned away to go to where Jared was examining something else in the barn set.

“You know if he doesn’t do it here that the second you call ‘Cut’ on the bridge what Jensen will do, don’t you, Bob?” Jim Michaels asked from where he stood in the back of the room since he was one of the few allowed to be on set that day and he understood why.

Bob knew only too well what was probably coming sooner or later. He only hoped it wasn’t during this scene or at least not while they were rolling.

He and Jim were still some of the very few that knew that their two stars had crossed lines from co-stars to much more seasons ago. Bob had been there the day the boys had told a wide-eyed Eric Kripke about their relationship and also when Jensen had promised the man not to do anything to endanger the show by revealing their feelings for one another so long as they were on the air.

There were a few times these recent years that he thought Jensen might do that in retaliation to some stunt Misha would have pulled that had put Jared at risk.

Now that they were close to wrapping, and even with new things lined up for both men, Bob wasn’t foolish enough to expect that Jensen Ackles wouldn’t pull something on the last day of filming.

“He can do whatever the hell he wants when I call ‘Cut’ on that final scene because anyone else out there will still be working under those non-disclosure clauses. At least it might be a while before it gets ‘leaked’ that Jensen probably chose to either toss Andrew off that bridge or kiss Jared senseless,” he remarked with a roll of his eyes as both he and Jim looked when they heard a low laugh. “Okay, so let’s see what’s about to happen.”

They filmed the fight scene a couple times in order to cover it from different angles and because one of the ‘vampires’ had missed his cue. There was only once that Bob had to step in and calmly remind Andrew Dabb, who after so many seasons of writing finales, should have known better and not try to direct his scene.

“Let the boys do this scene their way, Andrew,” he told his writer slash co-executive producer during a reset of the scene for what the few crew there knew was going to be rough on probably everyone; never more so than the two main stars, who seemed to have gone to one corner of the barn during this to talk quietly. “You step in or try to stop this scene and I promise you that while you escaped physical damage from dropping that other crap on Jensen months ago, he will probably go for the first thing handy to hurt you and I might not tell Jim or Clif to stop him. Now sit down, sit back, and let Jared and Jensen run their scene their way.”

One of the few extra crew on set right then paused from adjusting a light to look back at him. “Umm, scenes like this usually had Jared going for Sheppard’s throat on some gut reaction to hurt Crowley. We don’t have him here anymore,” he decided to point out.

Bob opened his mouth to comment only to stop, pause, look over at a frowning Andrew. “On second thought, maybe you should go lock yourself in your trailer.”

“Oh, did I forget to mention that overnight delivery Jared got that I had put in his trailer?” Jim smirked as both executive producers turned to look at him. “Don’t worry. Let’s just hope they get through this scene.”

Unaware of what was being discussed behind them, Jensen was focused only on one thing: getting Jared through this scene and getting it filmed the way they both wanted.

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly. He had noticed Jared seemed to be getting tenser the closer the final scene of this shot got, which Jensen knew from past years was normal. Jared having to step offset for several seconds, however, was not so normal and so worried Jensen. “Jared, tell me if you want to…”

“We do it the way we planned, right?” Jared asked, hearing their names called and knowing he had to focus on this moment. It felt as if all fifteen years of playing Sam Winchester had led him to this all-important moment and he had to make it perfect. “Plus, whatever you plan to toss in to give Bob and Andrew fits?”

“Just a couple little adlibs, but you’ll have no trouble playing off of those,” Jensen was confident of that but was quick to grab Jared’s arm to hold him back another second until their eyes met. “When you hear me work in those couple little things, Jay? That won’t just be Dean speaking to Sam, okay?”

Jared blinked, a little confused but slowly nodded. He didn’t fully understand but would go with it as this certainly wasn’t the first time either one of them had tossed a line or two into a scene if they felt it was right.

They did a casual run of the scene without cameras rolling to get an idea of how things would go or if the cameras would need adjusting for a couple close shots that Jensen had already talked over with Bob. It was also on this run that Jensen got a feel for how to handle the real scene and how to handle Jared, who had already started to tear up.

“Hey, focus on me. We’ve got this, Jay,” Jensen reassured Jared softly as they waited for Bob to give them the green light to actually start filming the scene.

“Okay, let’s do this. Jared! Jensen! Give me your best!” Bob called out while sitting back to watch the scene in front of them play out.

Jim Michaels stood back to watch as the boys (he didn’t think he’d ever stop thinking of them as that) did the final vampire fight; the one that picked up and shoved ‘Dean’ against the pole with the dreaded piece of rebar. He watched as the scene went down as planned with ‘Sam’ cutting the vampire’s head off and thinking everything had gone smoothly for them.

‘Here we go,’ he thought silently to himself as he watched Jared as ‘Sam’ turn and the realization starting to hit him that something was very wrong as Dean told him that Sam always knew this is how it would end for him, but it was when ‘Dean’ told him no, to making any deals and then asked him to stay with him that Jim could already feel his own eyes start to burn even as ‘Sam’ was putting his phone away to step back to his brother and reaching out.

“I’m fading pretty quick. There’s a few things I need you to hear. Come here.” Jensen had gone through this scene in his head a thousand times in the time since it was tweaked to their liking. Now all he had to do was get them both through it in hopefully one take, or at least two.

“Let me look at you,” Dean reached out, straining to move without causing himself more pain but needing to touch Sam, needing to have that connection for what was coming. “Yeah… there he is,” he forced a smile once he felt his hand touch his younger brother’s shoulder, feeling Sam’s hand raise to grasp his arm. “I am so proud of you, Sam. Do you know that? I’ve always looked up to you. Man, when we were kids, you were so damn smart… you never took any of Dad’s crap. I never knew how you did that and you’re stronger than me. You always have been.”

The pain still showed on Dean’s face despite the forced smile as he looked into Sam’s eyes that were already filling with tears even as Sam was fighting the fear, the emotions that were coming as he heard things come out of Dean’s mouth that he never thought he ever would. He was not sure what scared him more; hearing those words or the thought of his brother dying and not being able to save him.

“Hey, did I ever tell y-… I ever tell you, that night that… that I ca… that I came for you and you were at school? You know… when Dad hadn’t come back from his hunting trip?” Dean went on, voice struggling as it seemed he was having more difficulty in breathing but determined to get out what he felt was so vital not only to him but also for his brother.”

Blinking the tears out of his eyes, Sam had to cough to clear his throat before he even attempted to speak. “Yeah. Uh… the Woman in White,” he replied, that night never far from his thoughts.

Forcing another tight smile, Dean nodded while trying to keep his hand on Sam’s shoulder in some way but feeling his strength starting to leave him. “The Woman in White, that’s right. I must’ve stood outside your dorm for hours… because I didn’t know what you would say, I thought you would tell me to get lost… or get dead and I didn’t know what I would have done without you. ‘Cause I was so scared. I was scared ‘cause when it all came down to it, it was always you and me,” the deep, husky voice shook more as both his pain grew and the grief that he felt as he stood watching the tears fill and fall from Sam’s eyes. “It’s always been you… and me,” he added with as much strength as he could as if to try to remove so many years of doubts and fears Sam might have had over anything that might have tried to come between them.

Sam was fighting a losing battle against the tears he could feel now streaking his face. He tried to close his eyes, trying to wish this whole night away as a bad dream but every time he opened them it was still the same bad scene with his older brother impaled on some goddamn piece of rebar and hearing him make that speech that both Winchesters knew would be things Dean had always felt but had been afraid to show.

“D… don’t leave me. Don’t leave me. I can’t do this alone,” he heard the words, and a small piece of his mind remembered another night, another time when those words were spoken but in reverse.

“Yes, you can,” Dean said, staring at Sam with both pride and confidence in the little brother that he had raised.

Sam closed his eyes, shaking his head and fighting so hard to find a way to ignore this was happening. “Well, I don’t want to,” he returned and saw Dean’s lips curve in a small smile as if his brother remembered their conversation back in Stanford so long ago.

“Hey, I’m not leaving you. I’m gonna be with you. Right here. Every day. Every day you’re out there and you’re… you’re livin’ and you’re fighting cause you… you always keep fighting. You hear me? I’ll be there. Every step.”

Tear-filled eyes that had closed on cue because Sam’s eyes were supposed to close to try to fight back his tears, opened and quickly looked, and Jared had to fight not to lose control more than he was already since he knew most of those words were not in the script.

He suddenly realized what Jensen had meant earlier when he’d said he’d know how to play off of what he adlibbed even as he felt the closed fist gently touch ‘Sam’s’ heart. He knew that Jensen had broken character and that this was as much for him as it was Sam and Dean, and also understood the meaning behind them. He was nodding while being sure to hold Jensen’s eyes as he carried on flawlessly as if he hadn’t just added something totally unscripted, and Jared could almost hear the muffled disagreement going on off to the side.

“I love you so much,” Jensen or Dean, Jared wasn’t sure by this point as he was having a hard time breathing and not losing what control he still had of his tears. He heard the pause, felt Jensen’s hand touch his chest again over Jared’s wildly beating heart as that also clicked that the pause wasn’t in the script. Jensen put it in for effect and so Jared would understand correctly even as he continued on. “My baby brother.”

Watching the scene unfold, Jim had finally given up his tough guy image and had to reach into his pocket. He’d been watching Andrew relax a little more as the scene went on filming, but then he caught just the slightest change in body language from ‘Dean’ and knew the next second that Jensen had broken character and had chosen to throw in some adlibbing.

It wasn’t a secret on set that the closer to wrapping it got the more on edge Jared was becoming and Jim had a hunch what might be causing it. Hearing ‘Dean’ tell ‘Sam’ that he’d always be right beside him as he was out there living, and to always keep fighting, was plain to at least him that it was Jensen’s way of reassuring Jared that no matter if they weren’t going to be filming or living together like they had been, Jensen still planned to be in Jared’s life and would always be there to support him.

Then he spoke again, and Jim was already moving forward to make a grab for their moving writer/executive producer as Andrew started to push up out of his chair as if to call the scene at the same time as Bob was motioning for it to keep going.

“You leave them alone. I said what he adlibbed would be included and we’re giving them this,” he said softly so their voices didn’t ruin the filming.

“He… he… he can’t just…” Andrew was blinking, stunned that Jensen had actually pulled that stunt and not sure how he could fix it or even if he should.

“That’s a dying brother saying goodbye to the kid he raised and has devoted his life to protecting so of course he’s going to tell Sam he loves him, Andrew,” Bob remarked, ignoring the snort from behind him. “That’s our official view on that matter and I’m sticking to that,” he turned to shoot Andrew a harder look. “If you were okay with Berens giving in and giving Collins that 3 seconds to feed his fans and letting them think what they will of Dean not replying or even acknowledging it afterward, then you’ll be fine with a brother saying those words and letting the fandom see what they will. Now sit down,” he finished before settling back to see where the boys had gotten to during this little distraction.

Jensen had sensed movement the second he told Jared that he loved him, or that Dean loved his baby brother, and shifted his eyes away from ‘Sam’ as if needing the time to clear his own tears away by looking to the side. In reality, he had locked eyes briefly with a smirking Bob Singer to see just the barest of a nod.

“Oh, man. Well, I did not think this would be the day. But it is… and that’s… that’s okay,” he pulled himself back to the man that he had spent the last fifteen years giving his life to and met Jared’s eyes as both knew this was actually the hardest part of the scene.

“I need you… I need you to promise me… I need you to t… tell me that it’s okay,” Dean’s tone was tighter, teeth clenched as the pain was now taking over but still so much of Dean, the older brother that hated to leave Sam was hanging on. “I need you to tell me it’s okay. No, look at me,” his fingers had grasped onto Sam’s jacket as if to try to make his now crying brother to meet his eyes again with one hand while his other was still pressed close to his own heart where he could almost feel the spike that had finally been his end. “Look at me. I ne… I need you to tell me that it’s okay. You tell me it’s okay…”

Sam tried to look away. He didn’t want to do this, but he could hear the pain in his brother’s voice, see it in eyes that looked to be going glassy with shock and pain. Lifting a hand slowly, he carefully placed it over Dean’s while forcing himself to meet Dean’s eyes. “Dean…” he began but had to stop to try to work the tears out of his voice. “It’s okay,” he finally made the words come out of his throat, nodding as if it was his turn to reassure his brother. “You can go.”

A look of almost relief came over Dean Winchester’s face, hand that had still been on Sam’s chest dropping and covering the one Sam had over his own hand. Accepting the end for what it was, Dean let his head lean forward slowly just as Sam moved his so that slowly, almost gently their foreheads touched.

“Goodbye, Sam,” Dean murmured before feeling his hand drop from Sam’s and releasing his last breath with a tear falling from his eye, his head dropping forward to rest on his brother’s shoulder.

The tears, grief and emotions that Sam Winchester had been bottling up finally fell as he stayed there, hand reaching up slowly, carefully to rest it on the back of Dean’s head for a final moment and just let the tears fall freely.

“Cut! Wrap! That’s it and for God’s sake no one go near Jared unless you want him to punch you!” Bob shouted as he called the scene, and shot a wide-eyed Andrew a look to keep his mouth shut and stay away from his actors even as he saw Jensen’s arms move the second he yelled ‘cut’ so he could grab onto a badly shaking Jared. “Tell me you got all of that?” he asked his crew, all of whom it seemed were suddenly having bad allergic reactions to things by the red eyes he was seeing.

“Yeah, if we need a pick-up it might be audio but we’re good otherwise and visual got it all,” the one sound man replied. “They okay?” he asked, nodding his head to where the two actors still stood despite the prop guys wanting to move in to remove the item that had made it look like Dean had been impaled.

“No, probably not, but they will be if Jim and I can get them out of this set without Andrew opening his mouth to Jensen,” Bob noticed that Jim and the boys’ bodyguard had both started to approach the actors only to have Jensen’s hand shoot out as if to block them.

The second the scene was called, Jensen did something he’d only ever done a few times on set and that was pull Jared into his arms much like Dean would Sam, so he knew they were covered that way. It was usually for emotional scenes, like this one where Sam had just watched his whole world melt away in his mind.

“It’s okay, Jared. Dude, look at me. I’m okay,” Jensen was murmuring quietly though he wasn’t sure Jared could hear him right that second because he was still working through too much raw grief that might not be all Sam. “Jay.”

Jared had heard Bob call the scene but like a few times when he had a hard time pulling out of a highly emotionally charged scene it was taking him longer to work past grief that wasn’t all Sam’s over his brother’s death.

He felt strong arms wrapping around him, heard Jensen’s voice in his ear but it wasn’t until he heard Jensen use his nickname, something they only did for each other in the safety of their trailers or at home, did he start to pay more attention.

“Just hang out until I get unhooked, then we can go chill out for a bit before we go to makeup,” Jensen was saying when he felt it safe to let someone come close to them. “Then we’ll go home, call for take-out and just talk or whatever you need to do,” he kept a hand on Jared’s jacket while noticing that their bodyguard had moved in a little closer when the prop guy came to his job just in case the younger actor reacted on emotional instinct like he’d done before a few seasons ago.

“Hey, Jared had a package delivered this morning so I had it put in his trailer so I’d suggest heading there to ‘chill’ before makeup removal,” Jim remarked, seeing Jensen’s eyebrows raise but he merely smiled. “Oh, and you might want to answer your phone when it rings. It goes with the package according to the text I got.”

Debating on if he wanted to ask or just wanted to get Jared off the set, Jensen decided to go the second route after he heard a growl and could almost sense Andrew off to the side looking like he wanted to say something to him. “C’mon, Jared. Let’s go hit your candy stash since we skipped lunch,” he urged, nudging his friend’s arm until he felt Jared move but could feel the tension radiating off of him from too much emotion that was his own and his character’s.

“Jensen, maybe we should talk about a few things,” Andrew began to speak up only to grunt when a script folder hit him in the chest. Bob stepped in front of him while Jim and Clif were quick to move past as if to head Jensen off when he paused, looked to be considering, and then began to turn.

“No, we don’t need to talk about anything,” the actor replied in the tone that he only used when pissed but still trying to keep the rarely shown temper he had in check. “Bob got the scene filmed. It gets used. You try to screw with it and then we will have something to talk about.”

Jared was slowly calming down enough to hear the tone Jensen was using and understood it was time to leave the set. He gave a light squeeze to Jensen’s arm as if to silently signal his boyfriend to just let it drop and was actually surprised when Jensen did nod, and they left the set unaware of how many sighs of relief happened after they had.

“Leave them alone,” Clif growled before following his two charges even though he figured he’d be going to get the SUV to take them home soon depending on whether or not they actually did get to the makeup trailer to have the day’s makeup removed.

They walked in silence but just as Jensen was pulling the door to Jared’s trailer shut, he felt his phone vibrate at the same time as he heard Jared make some sound that was a cross between a laugh and a snort. Turning while pulling his phone out of his pocket, Jensen had to blink and stare before thinking to answer the vibrating device in his hand. “Yeah?” he growled, still too much in Dean’s mindset to be very social; especially since he knew Jared was still on edge and both were now staring at a nearly life-sized, stuffed Crowley-looking doll. “Jay, what the hell…” he started to ask only to freeze when he heard the voice from the phone.

“Hello Boys.”

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm Not Leaving You**

**Chapter Two**

Jared was still so shocked at what he’d found in his trailer that it took him a second to register when the voice spoke and then he was spinning to see Jensen’s eyes were staring at his phone as if debating if he should throw it or burn it.

Out of the many characters, both good and bad, that had been on the show for any length of time, it had been Mark Sheppard’s character of Crowley that still had the biggest impact in a lot of ways. He had gone from a simple conniving crossroads demon to King of Hell and even tense ally to the Winchesters until he had actually sacrificed himself for them several seasons ago.

Crowley’s actor had also become a friend and a staunch ally to Jensen and Jared, so both were missed on set. It had also been Mark’s character that seemed to take a lot of Sam’s frustration in a few season finales, but to hear that same Crowley voice now speaking from Jensen’s phone at the same time as a life-sized, stuffed Crowley appeared in Jared’s trailer was still kind of shocking to both men.

“Do I need to ask what’s up with the call and… whatever this thing is?” Jensen asked, holding his phone while losing Dean’s jacket and slightly amused to see Jared was giving the stuffed Crowley evil looks.

“A little bird up there might have texted to say you boys were filming a rather difficult and highly emotional scene today. Since I’ve been on the receiving end of Moose’s emotions after one of those, I decided to send something up to maybe help him expend any excess energy since I couldn’t make the trip myself like I had originally planned,” Mark replied, sitting back in his chair with a smirk as if picturing what was happening up in Vancouver. “Has he punched anyone?” he asked. “Or more to the point given your tone, have you punched anyone, Jensen?”

Jensen smirked, sitting down on the sofa with a low groan as his muscles reminded him of doing his own stunts. “You mean other than his doll of you?” he countered, grinning as he watched Jared go ahead and give the smirking Crowley a serious beatdown before slumping next to him on the sofa. “No, not yet and no, not yet to the other question too.”

“Keep your head and his above water and let him beat me up when he feels like exerting energy,” Mark heard Jared mutter something that made him laugh at the same time as Jensen must have choked on whatever he had just taken a drink of. “And that is where I’ll end this conversation. Goodbye, Boys.”

“I still was never sure if Mark was playing Crowley or the other way around,” Jensen muttered once he had stopped choking after Jared, exhausted from both the scene and beating up the stuffed Crowley, had said something about Jensen helping him exerting energy. “Wanna talk now or go to makeup, go home, call out for food, and then talk?” he asked.

Jared’s eyes were already half closed but he forced them open to lift his head from where it rested on Jensen’s chest as they sat on the sofa in his trailer. “What you said? In the scene?” he asked softly, unsure how to ask what it was in his mind or if they should wait until they weren’t on set.

“Let’s go get this stuff off. We’ll talk about that while we wait on food,” Jensen decided it best to handle this discussion at their home where they both could relax.

Once makeup was off and Clif drove them home, Jensen called out for food while Jared showered. “Jen?” he called out at the sound of the bedroom door opening and closing and a burst of cool air entered the steam filled shower as the air changed as Jensen stepped in.

“I know you’re nervous about what will happen between us once we wrap, about once you’re back in Texas filming Walker and I’m up here in Canada,” Jensen began slowly, picking something up from the bathroom counter to run his fingers around the gold band that was not Jared’s ‘normal’ wedding band. “I also know it scared you when it clicked that you and I haven’t really been apart from one another or filmed without the other, a few movies notwithstanding, for fifteen years.” He paused to hold out a towel when Jared stepped from the shower and had a brief moment of distraction when he watched the way water trailed down Jared’s chest, over his stomach to the towel. “You want to know if I meant what I threw in the scene just for you?”

Jared nodded, wrapping the towel around his waist but not missing the way Jensen’s eyes moved or how they had darkened once they moved back to his. He noticed that while he’d been showering, Jensen had changed into a pair of worn, soft denim jeans and a casual t-shirt but had left his shoes and socks off. “You said…”

“Even when we’re apart, I will still be with you every step of the way on every day that you and I are not together, Jay,” Jensen promised in a voice that dropped lower until more of his natural Texas accent could be heard in the huskiness of it. “I will admit that it scares me too. I have played Dean longer than I have any other character so not only does it scare me to leave him, but it scares me to leave you too because like Sam and Dean, it has always been you and me,” he went on with a gentle smile, lifting a hand up to rest it on the side of Jared’s face much like he wished he could have done during that barn scene but Jensen had known not to push it more than he had.

“We will make this change work. You and I will still be on the phone and maybe even have Zoom sex if I can figure that mess out. You will do your best to carry on and soon, very soon if I have my way, we will be working together again in some way,” Jensen watched Jared’s eyes still hold more worry and concern than he liked but then he saw the first hint of a smile come and that made him a little less worried. “I’m also so proud of you for getting through that scene as well as you did even with my little additions.”

Jared believed Jensen. He knew he had meant the words he said to him and they did make him feel slightly better even if he knew the change would still be hard when it came. He glanced down at the feel of Jensen slipping something on his hand to see it was the ring that Jared had taken out of his jeans before he showered so he could put it on afterwards. Then he noticed the overhead light glint on something on Jensen’s hand and he felt more tension ease away when he noticed the matching ring on Jensen’s hand. “Jen…”

“I love you, Jared Padalecki,” Jensen said with a drop in tone, stepping closer to place his hand over Jared’s heart and smiling as it was immediately covered with Jared’s own. “I know it’ll be rough for the first few months as we both adjust and until all the travel restrictions ease up some so we can fly back and forth to see one another, but I will always be a phone call away,” he added, lips curving up into a slow smile before sliding his other hand up to curve his fingers around the back of Jared’s neck in order to bring his head closer so their foreheads could touch and loving the start of a dimpled smile he could see on the younger man. “I will always be with you, Jay.”

Jared could feel his throat tightening up again much like it had on set. He realized just how much of Jensen’s own emotions had come out in that scene and that made it so much more real than it already had felt for him. “I love you too, Jen,” he returned, tears evident in his voice and his eyes but then felt himself forget all of his worries or fears the second Jensen’s lips touched his in a slow, deep loving kiss.

There was a brief second of debate by Jensen if they were going to end up in the shower or the bed when the sound of the doorbell announcing that their dinner was there caused him to mutter a low curse about a delivery guy that actually delivered on time.

“Food and then hot sex?” Jared asked with a teasing smile, groaning when he was pulled back closer for a hotter kiss before Jensen stepped back with a smirk and a wink.

“Oh, hell yeah,” he said before going to pay for their food and set it out on the actual dining room table that they hardly ever used, or at least for food, but Jensen quickly pushed that memory aside or else he wasn’t sure it would be used to eat at this time either.

“We actually using this table to eat at this time?” Jared’s voice from behind him made Jensen smile but it was the feel of his boyfriend’s arms wrapping around him from behind that made it grow.

“Yes, we are going to eat real food at it right now,” Jensen paused to turn his head enough to see Jared’s eyes were more golds and blues which told him he was more relaxed than he had been earlier. “Now what we use it for later? Totally different matter.”

Jared laughed but sat down next to Jensen so they could share the Italian meal with just quiet conversation and memories that made them both laugh. There was no talk of the rest of the filming or what came next for either of them once everything was wrapped up.

After dinner, Jared stood with a stretch and went to start to clean up the dishes used only to stop when a hand caught his wrist. Glancing over he saw deep green eyes staring back at him in a way that Jared knew meant the dishes wouldn’t be getting washed that night, and they probably wouldn’t be going over any scenes they each had to film the next day either.

“I’ll throw the dishes in the dishwasher in the morning while you’re in the shower,” Jensen began after stopping Jared from picking up the dishes. “We can run lines while I shower.” He paused to step around his chair, feeling their fingers touch as he moved his hand from Jared’s wrist to find his hand while taking a step back towards the stairs. “Tonight? I’m taking you upstairs and making love with you like I plan to every single night until we have to be apart. Is that okay with you, Jay?” he asked in the low sexy tone that Jensen used without even trying to when it was just the two of them alone.

Jared’s eyes had gone to the way their fingers seem to just intertwine on instinct now before moving back up to Jensen’s to watch the green depths actually appear to grow deeper to him. He flicked his gaze down to Jensen’s full lips and smiled before moving it back up. “Making love with you is always okay with me, Jensen,” he replied and met the next kiss fully.

Ever since the first time they’d kissed, way back in season two, it never failed to amaze Jared that even after so many years, Jensen could still surprise him when they kissed because he swore the man had never yet kissed him the same way twice.

He was so lost in the feel of teasing lips and a tongue gently playing hide and seek with his, that Jared wasn’t even aware of when they’d gotten upstairs to the master bedroom until he felt his back hit the mattress with a laughing gasp that dried up on a groan the second he watched Jensen pull his t-shirt off over his head in one smooth motion before reaching for the snap of his jeans.

“You do know what shirt Sam’s supposed to be wearing for the scene I film tomorrow, right?” he asked, sitting up so he could begin to pull his own t-shirt off only to go still at the low growl he heard. He let his hands drop back to his sides to allow Jensen to remove the shirt and wondered if he’d survive the making out part of their night as Jensen stepped in closer so he could straddle his legs while beginning to kiss Jared’s throat. “Jen…”

Jensen’s lips curved at the low moan of his name, licking a stripe up from the hollow of Jared’s throat to just below his ear before repeating the line back down but this time with light little bites that he knew would make Jared shiver and wasn’t disappointed when he felt his boyfriend’s body start to respond more. He also could feel another part of Jared growing more interested in each kiss or touch as well.

“Yeah, I know the shirt that you’re supposed to be wearing, babe,” he replied after several moments of just kissing Jared’s throat, settling his mouth over his pulse point to begin to suck it slowly until both men knew there’d be a mark there in the morning.

It had never mattered to Jensen about leaving a mark on Jared before even though they both tried not to let it be where it might be hard to explain to makeup or others on the set. That night, he decided to say a silent ‘fuck it’ to everyone that had told them to hide what they were to one another and he wanted to leave a mark on the man he loved that Jensen would dare anyone on set to ask either of them about.

Jared laughed fully, deeply at that simple answer. He knew that at this point that Jensen was fed up with the lies they’d had to tell and still might have to for awhile longer but at that moment, Jared didn’t care. All he was concerned with was feeling Jensen’s hands on him, sharing deep kisses that they both enjoyed, and finally finding themselves stretched out beside one another on the bed they had shared for so long just touching one another.

The heat and haste of earlier was gone as neither man seemed to be in a hurry now to lose a connection that had always been more than sexual or even physical between them. It was the quiet moments of intimacy that Jensen realized suddenly that he’d miss the most when he and Jared could no longer be together.

A light touch caressing his face caused Jensen to snap his thoughts back from where he suddenly realized he must have been overthinking because when his eyes focused he saw the mild concern on Jared’s face and in his eyes.

“I thought brooding and overthinking this was my job?” Jared remarked when he saw Jensen’s attention come back to him and figured whatever his friend had been thinking about had cleared at his touch. “Where’d you go, Jen?” he asked but had a hunch he knew because slipping into his own head was something Jared tended to do a lot when fighting his emotions.

“Nowhere, Jay. No matter what anyone says or how it might look, I’m not going anywhere,” Jensen replied, reaching up to card his fingers back through Jared’s hair and this time allowed his nails to scrape the younger man’s scalp, a little thing that he’d learned years ago Jared enjoyed.

They made love slowly but passionately several times that night until finally Jared lay pliant and sexed out against Jensen’s side, his head resting over his heart like he tended to prefer to sleep when tense. “Hmm, Jensen?” he asked sleepily, eyes closed but still felt the light touch of fingers stroking down his arm. “Are you on set or on location for the rest of the filming?”

“Both,” Jensen replied, looking at the ceiling while letting his hand keep moving down Jared’s arm like he would do until his boyfriend was asleep fully. “I’ll be there when you film the burning scene but then I need to go do some scenes with the Impala. I’ll be back by the time you’re done filming,” he assured Jared while deciding not to mention the near fight he had gotten into when he said he wanted to be there to watch Jared film the scene of Dean’s funeral. “When I am on location or can’t be there, if things get too hard or you need a break, go beat up ‘Crowley’,” he smiled when he heard a soft snort before finally feeling Jared relax into a deep sleep and hoped this would be the night his friend slept through the night without a nightmare.

The rest of the filming went as well as could be expected with only the usual issues or headaches. The funeral scene and then the final scenes in the bunker were hard for Jared but for both Jensen had insisted on staying on set so his co-star wouldn’t be alone to handle the emotional fall-out.

The morning of the funeral scene, after they’d made love the night before and again that morning in the shower, left a smirking Jensen sitting in his makeup chair waiting for one of the their regular makeup ladies to mention the rather obvious mark on Jared’s throat that would require covering given the shirt Sam would be wearing that scene.

“So, I was told Jared had a couple interesting… marks on him when he showed up for makeup this morning,” Jim Michaels stated as he joined Jensen to watch the funeral scene where Sam finally had to do the one thing he had always refused to do and that was burn his brother’s body.

“Tattoos or hickies. Both can be covered with makeup, Jim,” Jensen merely shrugged but gave the other man a small smirk that got him a laugh. “It’s not like I kissed him on scene or anything.”

Jim glanced over to see that Jensen’s eyes were locked on where Jared stood as Sam was pondering the lighter in his hand before giving it a toss to set the funeral pyre on fire. “You came damn close in the barn set,” he commented casually and wasn’t shocked by the slow, cocky smile that he was given that Jensen had known exactly what he’d been doing in that scene. “Jensen…”

“I gave Jared what he needed to hear the same as Dean gave to Sam, Jim,” Jensen turned to one of the first men that had figured out when things had changed between them. “Forgetting the crap I’ve been pissed off at Andrew over the last few seasons, the scene in the barn, the words I added, the ones Jared and I wanted scripted in were for both Sam and Dean, and Jared and I.

“Dean Winchester had spent his entire life living up to their father’s expectations. He spent it trying to measure up, to keep the tough guy, macho attitude so no one, not even his little brother, would ever see him falter or fall until the very end.” He paused to take a breath since he hadn’t thought he’d get into this conversation with anyone and especially not right then but needed to make at least one person understand something vital to him and how he played Dean.

“When it clicked, when he realized that this time was it, that he told Sam no deals, he accepted that it was time to be honest and to face all the emotions he’d been hiding from Sam for years, not just the last 15 but nearly all their lives. Those two brothers? They have protected one another, died for one another and would do anything for the other so if there were any two characters connected as… hell, I’ll use soulmates as the word since they are bonded that tightly, it’s Sam and Dean. Sam needed to hear those words we scripted. Jared needed to hear what wasn’t scripted, but what I needed to say to him because he’s having fifteen years of our lives together pulled out from under him. He and I are bonded just as tightly, and I needed both him and Sam to know that Dean and I would always be with them.” Jensen stopped to run his fingers back through his hair, uneasy with how much emotion he had just shared but saw Jim offer a slow smile and a nod.

“Neither of you will ever stop being those characters will you, Jensen?” Jim asked even though he knew the answer even without seeing a familiar smirk come on Jensen’s face.

“We’ve been Sam and Dean Winchester too long to just walk away fully so no, I don’t think I’ll ever fully be able to let him go, and I know pieces of Sam will stay with Jared.” Jensen heard Bob shout ‘Cut’ and knew he needed to refocus his thoughts and expression before Jared got to him. So, with another smile to Jim he walked away.

Jim squeezed the bridge of his nose, watching the boys talk a moment and saw Jensen’s hand go to Jared’s shoulder while also reaching down to pet the dog. “Yeah, the bridge scene will be interesting once Bob calls it,” he decided and wondered if he shouldn’t tell Bob what he was just given in the way of Jensen’s view of the brothers and the bond they all knew had always been the heart of the show.

“I want photos of the makeup job they do on you today for Sam as he ages,” Jensen had said as he got his makeup done and prepared to go on location for some shots with the Impala.

“Hell no, that won’t be happening, Ackles,” Jared replied with a laugh, tossing the young woman putting wrinkles on his face a glare after she promised Jensen she’d send him a few. “Well, as least we’ll know how bad I might look when I’m old and grey.”

Jensen paused in reaching for Dean’s jacket to look down at Jared with a sudden, uncharacteristic frown on his handsome face. Coming closer, he knelt down to say something softly so only Jared could hear him while placing his hand over Jared’s wrist where it rested on the chair arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Do you understand me?” he asked quietly but firmly as Jared slowly turned his head to look at him and gave a nod.

Once Jensen had left and Jared seemed to shake himself out of the funk he’d been slipping into, the makeup lady that usually did his makeup came back closer to finish her work. “I’m guessing you don’t plan to share what he said to you just then?” she asked but already knew Jared wouldn’t, but was glad that whatever it was had made him relax and smile again.

“No, it’s just something between us,” Jared replied, sitting back to close his eyes so the rest of his makeup could be applied while still hearing the soft but firm voice speak in a tone that was a cross between Jensen and his character.

_“‘You will never be bad looking at any age or even when you’re old and grey, Jared. And I will love you regardless,’”_ Jensen had whispered to him.

The day of the final scene had come and while Jared had another restless night, he hadn’t been driven from bed. He had merely turned and let Jensen’s voice reassure him that it would be okay, and they’d handle both the shoot and whatever came after.

It was one of the most emotional days on set for both the two actors and the crew because it was still hard to process that the show was ending after fifteen seasons.

There had been a small, near-issue with a crew member that had been more than a little disgruntled by not only the finale episode as a whole, but also the final scene. Eugenie had been on hand and had simply told the upset woman who had objected to the so-called unfair ending of a certain character that this was the series finale; a series that had always been about two brothers and would never have included him even pre-re-write.

“Jensen always said there were destiel shippers on staff,” Bob sighed, shooting his fellow executive producers a hard look that spoke of years of displeasure regarding that issue. “That scene in eighteen never should have been put in. Even though we basically ignored it and Dean very clearly didn’t say anything back it’s still going to ignite Collins’ fanbase.”

“I think Jensen’s performance in this episode should cement who was always most important to Dean,” Andrew replied, hearing Eugenie laugh about ‘only the blind wouldn’t be able to tell that and even then they’d probably still know it by the tone Dean used if not his words’.

Filming on location, especially one as remote as they had chosen for the finale’s final scene wasn’t always easy. Bob was thankful for drones these days even though for the most part it would still be stationary cameras to get the reunion of the Winchesters on film.

There had been a few little hidden Easter eggs in this episode with nods to the pilot. The last had been accomplished by their wardrobe department even if they hadn’t been quite able to match Sam’s t-shirt correctly to which Jared had muttered that he thought they had saved all their old clothes in case something was ever needed.

“Dude! Look at you then to now. There is no way in hell that shirt would even have gone over your shoulders much less your chest,” Jensen had said with a smile that slowly changed as he gave his now blushing co-star another look over. “Now while I wouldn’t mind seeing you trying that, I’m pretty sure someone else on set might.”

Bob had just stepped into the trailer to hear this conversation and merely turned back around with a shake of his head. “We’re ready as soon as you two are and Jensen? Behave until I call the scene?”

“Yeah, I will,” Jensen replied with a smirk and a wink at his laughing co-star while reaching to adjust the hoodie he wore. “Let’s go do this one more time.”

“One more time,” Jared agreed, taking a deep breath of clean mountain air before looking down at the feel of fingers brushing over his hand. “Just us. Just them.”

Jensen nodded, understanding the simple comment. “Forever,” he replied with a look over that didn’t need any words to translate.

Driving the Impala onto the bridge, Jensen paused on cue and used that time to fully get into the mind of Dean one final time, or at least one final time for the moment. Stepping out of the car, the car that Jensen was silently thrilled that he and Jared would each get to take one home with them, he moved to the railing to just gaze out at the scenery in front of him.

He smiled before tensing just subtly as if suddenly sensing something close by and then his smile softened as he knew what had changed. “Hey, Sammy,” he said, while turning slowly to see Sam standing just off to the side and behind him, dressed in the same outfit as he had been when he had left college with Dean all those years before.

Sam’s smile was relieved, happy as he met his brother’s eyes. “Dean,” he murmured, voice thick with buried emotions as he stepped forward just as Dean was reaching out to pull him in for a tight, long overdue hug; a hug that the younger Winchester returned with equal strength and relief after having missed his brother for so long.

Holding the hug a moment or two longer, Dean finally stepped back and with a gentle nudge led Sam over to the railing so they could share the moment of being reunited again and like Bobby had told Dean, Heaven was a huge place to explore now that he had Sam back at his side.

They filmed this a couple times to be sure it was caught from a couple angles and because Bob knew on instinct that the boys weren’t happy with the first two takes and did a third run through. It was on that final take that the director saw the light touch to ‘Sam’s’ neck that was not in the first two takes.

Bob watched as the drone camera began zooming out to catch the boys, the sight of the trees, the creek, the bridge in a wide final shot. He called cut on that but knew there was one more thing to film as Jared and Jensen wanted to film a special ‘thank you’ to their fans.

As this was wrapping up, the crew and other cast from that location shot all had come onto the bridge for a wide drone shot of that. “Cut!” he called for the final time and then just held his breath to see what would happen next. He didn’t have to wait long.

As soon as he called ‘Cut’ on the thank you scene, Jensen was already moving. He turned to Jared to see bright hazel eyes shining back at him as if his co-star had been expecting this and in truth Jared had been because Jensen had always teased that the second they wrapped up filming for good was when he was kissing him in front of anyone on set right at that moment.

“Hey, Mr. Ackles,” he began, lips curving up as he watched Jensen’s own mouth curve into the slow, sexy smirk he had but never used while on set.

“Hey back, Mr. Padalecki,” Jensen met Jared’s eyes, ignoring the low warning cough he thought he heard from somewhere on the bridge. “I think I owe you something, Jared,” he remarked casually, fingers almost itching to touch Jared in some way but held off for the moment.

Jared cocked his head as if confused before his full, bright, and dimpled smile lit his face and he snapped his fingers as if just remembering something important. “Yeah, now that you mention it, I think you do, Jensen,” he agreed, meeting and holding Jensen’s eyes. “Gonna give that to me now, Jensen?” he asked teasingly, knowing what would be happening and also hearing someone shout their names.

“Oh, hell yes!” Jensen returned with a full and deep laugh, stepping forward to reach up to grab hold of the hoodie Jared still had on with one hand while his other reached up to slide behind and curve around Jared’s neck. They smiled while locking eyes but before Jensen did what they both had been waiting for him to do he heard his name shouted again. He never broke eye contact with Jared as he smirked and yelled, “Fuck off, Dabb! We’ve wrapped and he’s mine!”

The rest of the world, the rest of the people on that bridge ceased to exist to Jared and Jensen from the second Jensen gave a slight tug that brought Jared fully into his arms and their mouths found each other in a kiss that yet again stunned the younger actor.

Given Jensen’s tension right then and his obvious temper sizzling, Jared had expected heat and need in this kiss but the second he felt Jensen’s lips touch his, felt the way his fingers shifted on the back of his neck he knew it wouldn’t be this way.

The kiss wasn’t soft, but it was by far not all heat and need either and Jared swore his knees shook much like they had the first time they had kissed.

“Mine,” Jensen said again but this time in a whisper against Jared’s mouth before slowly, hesitantly breaking the kiss to meet Jared’s smile with one of his own. “Let’s go home,” he said, turning and ignoring several wide eyes and open mouths, or in some cases scowls, as he and Jared walked back toward the Impala. “I’m driving her back to the lot where the trailer is!” he called over his shoulder, clearly speaking to Jim and Bob.

“Yeah, yeah, go ahead but no pit stops!” Jim shouted even as he was turning to head off a fuming bodyguard as Jared laughed at something Jensen said about them using a black light on the car if they did make any stops. “Jensen knows the way back to where the car trailer is parked, Clif,” he told the unhappy bodyguard before shifting a look to see Bob was shaking his head at Andrew. “Hey! Did I bet you that he’d probably do that?”

Bob paused in letting a shouting Andrew rant about Jensen being reckless and breaking his agreement not to out them and a few other complaints. “First off, no. I did not bet you because I’m not stupid. Eric and I knew Jensen would probably do that as soon as someone called the final scene so that would have been a sucker’s bet and you!” he stopped to put a hand up in Andrew’s face to stop his shouting.

“Jensen and Jared’s agreement with Eric and any executive producer on this show was that he would not out them so long as the show was filming and on air. Technically, yeah, I could get him on the on air clause but I won’t and none of you will because we’ve been damn lucky for the last few years that Jensen Ackles hasn’t bitched more than he has or acted out or outed them before now considering he had plenty of reasons to!” Bob snapped, turning to head toward the cars once the cameras were broken down. “Leave them alone for as long as they’re still here to do pick-ups or a couple behind the scenes things I need them for.”

“I really can’t believe you actually did that in front of everyone,” Jared still sounded stunned even once they had gotten back to their home in Vancouver. “I also can’t believe our phones aren’t ringing off the hook or did you shut them off while I wasn’t looking?” he asked, starting to look for his phone when calloused fingertips pushed against his chest to nudge him to his back on the bed they were laying in after making love.

“No, I didn’t turn the phones off but I also figure Bob or Jim probably handled the majority of the fallout from Dabb, who should also know not to even think to call me,” Jensen replied as he rolled easily to straddle Jared’s legs, catching his hands and loving the way Jared’s eyes changed when he let their fingers mesh before stretching his arms above his head. “Technically, I didn’t out us. I… just kissed you in front of cast and crew.”

“Kissed me very well too if I can say so, Jen,” Jared smiled, testing Jensen’s grip on his hands before moving his eyes to see Jensen’s was darkening slowly and noticing a very obvious interest by both of their cocks.

“You can always say that to me, Jay,” Jensen chuckled, leaning closer to kiss his boyfriend again but this time he let more heat into the kiss as it began to build between them again. “I love you so damn much, Jared.”

Jared moaned into the next kiss, letting his lips part to allow Jensen’s tongue to enter and begin to play with his while also exploring his mouth. He felt his body arch up at the feel of fingers sliding along his side once Jensen released his hands to have both free to touch him. “Jensen!”

“Touch me, Jay. I want to feel those hands on me,” Jensen encouraged, voice growing rougher as desire built again for both of them but fighting to control it in order to give them both pleasure again.

It had never been a question between them that when they made love or even fooled around that Jensen was the one in control but he also always encouraged Jared’s active participation even in the beginning when he boyfriend was still shyly learning the ropes on what to do.

Stretching out so their bodies almost meshed as well together as their fingers did when intertwined, Jensen smiled against Jared’s throat at the first careful touch of fingers moving over his back. “Touch me, babe,” he murmured, lightly nipping along Jared’s collarbone and finally feeling his lover’s hands starting to move more as they glided over Jensen’s back, down over his buttocks and groaning at the feel of the strength in those hands squeezing before sliding back up. “Fuck, Jay!”

“I thought that was your part of this duo,” Jared said, laughing as it took Jensen a second to realign his brain and then he saw the wicked smile a second before Jensen’s mouth was on his again, this time claiming it hotly, deeply until both were moaning.

Because they had already made love several times since getting home and having a mini celebration of wrapping their show, Jared was still stretched and loose but he still made a low growl when Jensen insisted on making sure before he pulled his legs up so this time when they made love they could see one another.

Jensen knew it wouldn’t take either of them long this time. He could see the exhaustion on Jared’s face as well and so hoped between the day of filming the emotional final scene and that evening’s activities that his boyfriend would sleep soundly.

“I love you, Jared,” he said, giving two solid thrusts that took him flush with Jared’s ass. The way they were positioned allowed his cock to hit the correct spot inside Jared easily and Jensen loved the words that always came out of Jared’s mouth even without him being aware of half of them. “I love you so damn much. I can never tell you how much meeting you, falling in love with you has changed my life and will continue to change it,” Jensen went on, voice thick with a sudden rush of emotions.

Jared had been focused on watching Jensen’s face as they made love because he hardly ever got to see his face as they did. He loved to see how relaxed it was when Jensen let his guard down when it was just the two of them like this.

This time he could also see something else shining in darkening green eyes. Jared had to focus his own emotions not to let the sudden burning tears fall at the amount of love shining out at him from Jensen and the emotions spoken to him.

“I love you too, Jensen,” he managed to say without his voice breaking too much, moaning as another thrust from Jensen’s hips had his cock hitting Jared’s prostate and he could feel his cock was now dripping pre come steadily. “You have been there with me, for me through some of the worst and the best times of my life. You have taught me so much that I hope I can keep that up and make you proud while we’re doing these things apart but…” he moaned as Jensen kissed him again to stop the words.

“I am so damn proud of you, Jared Tristan Padalecki,” Jensen knew he had to stop the words before they both broke, too much suddenly hitting them as once again it was plain that their time together would be ending. “I am proud of you. I love you and I will tell you again, I am not leaving you, Jay,” he promised thickly, seeing the tears in Jared’s eyes but also saw his nod. “Come for me?”

Jared felt Jensen’s hand wrap around his cock to begin stroking it in long, smooth strokes and that combined with Jensen’s cock hitting that spot inside him soon had Jared’s balls tightening until with a skilled twist and stroke of Jensen’s hand Jared felt himself coming hard with a shout of Jensen’s name.

“There’s my boy,” Jensen smiled as he continued to move his hand along Jared’s cock while feeling his own orgasm nearing and loving to watch Jared’s face as he worked through his climax because it always made him look younger, more relaxed and without the concerns he often had now. “Love you, babe,” he whispered and let himself fall over that same edge.

The sounds in their bedroom were mostly soft sounds of words being shared between them, of flesh meeting flesh. Then it was silent and both men just laid still, wrapped in the other’s arms to share this moment of calm, of peace. Finally, Jensen knew he had to move or risk the come drying and having a rather sticky situation in the morning.

Jared’s brain had shorted out shortly after feeling Jensen’s climax hit and fill him. By the time he woke back up he could see he’d been wiped cleaned and dressed in his sleep pants with Jensen’s arm wrapped around to hold him close to his side.

“You waking up?” the older man asked lightly, but the concern could still be heard by someone who knew Jensen well. “I was starting to worry between kissing you on the bridge today and all the sex tonight that I might have broken you.”

“Hmm?” Jared mumbled, still mostly asleep but happy and relaxed for the first time in a long time. “Nah. Sleepy,” he murmured, hearing a soft chuckle before feeling warm lips brush over his hair from where his head rested under Jensen’s chin. “Jen? The offer to stay at your place in Austin with Danneel and the kids still open?” he asked through a yawn, eyes heavy with sleep now and wanting to sleep but also wanting to finish this one last thing before he did.

Jensen had been smiling fondly at the way Jared was shifting until he was closer to Jensen, his fingers laying over Jensen’s chest until Jensen took them in his free hand. He was just closing his own eyes when that last question clicked and he paused, frowned, and opened his eyes but noticed that Jared’s were still closed even though he seemed a little tenser.

The offer to allow Jared to stay at Jensen’s place in Austin had come at the suggestion of Danneel once she learned where the shooting of Walker would take place and the new agreement between Jared and Gen. It was something that Jared had said he would consider but hadn’t brought up again… until that moment.

“Yeah, if that’s something you want and need then of course you know you’re welcome to live at my place so you’d still be close to your kids,” Jensen replied, trailing his fingers down Jared’s arm. “That the deal you have with Gen?”

“No, she said we could still live together since in public and for publicity it’ll still look like we’re together, but I just don’t think it would work without being weird. Plus, my deal with her agent was that she could be on the show, but we didn’t live together unless we had to and I choose not to,” Jared shrugged, opening his eyes just enough to see Jensen was watching him. “Okay?”

Lips curving, Jensen smiled fully. “Yeah. Yeah, it’s fine. You know already and Danneel’s told you that our house is your house and you can stay in our room there so it’s fine,” he reassured his friend and relaxed as Jared seemed happier with that answer and settled back down.

As both men slowly settled to sleep, Jensen stayed awake a little longer, but once he felt that Jared was relaxed and appeared to be sleeping soundly, deeply, he let his own eyes close with plans of their future even if some of that might be long distance until such a time when he and Jared could work together as well as live together again.

**The End**

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and hopefully more new stories will keep coming so long as the muse keeps working.


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